Lucas is northeast of Dallas, TX. From Dallas, go north on US 75 to the Bethany Drive exit in Allen and go east. Take Bethany Drive through Allen into Lucas (about 5 miles). Counting the light at the expressway exit, you will go through nine lights. The ninth light is at Bethany and FM 1378 where Lucas City Hall will be on the left. Go straight. In about ½ mile, when the road makes a sharp curve, you will see a stoplight and the Lucas Food Mart and gas station will be on your left. Turn left here on FM 3286 and go less than a mile to Brockdale Park Road. There is a brown Brockdale Park sign on the right just before the turn. It turns off to the right. If you get to the bridge over Lake Lavon you have gone too far. Follow Brockdale Park Road around to the trail head. You will drive through three 90-degree turns. The trail head is at the 3rd 90-degree turn on the right and is bordered by white pipe fence. If you get to the boat ramp you have gone too far.

TTPA will be hosting our annual dinner and Christmas party on Friday, December 6, 2013 at 7pm. The party this year will be a catered buffet dinner at the Collin College Spring Creek Campus Conference Hall (2800 E. Spring Creek Parkway). We’ll be recognizing volunteer contributions, Volunteer of the Year, and some other new Awards. We’ll also be auctioning off two of the legacy Trinity Trail hat pins, followed by our popular Gift Exchange.

We’ve decided on a catered dinner this year after last year’s disappointing service in a restaurant environment for our number of attendees. This year, we’ll have plenty of room in the Conference Hall and, with a buffet service, we won’t be relying on an overworked wait staff.

If you love riding the equestrian trails at Lake Ray Roberts and would
like to see the trail between the dam and 428 repaired and reopened, there
is a very simple and fun way you can help.

On Saturday, September 29, 2012, the Greenbelt Alliance of Denton County,
together with Texas Parks and Wildlife and the City of Denton along with
other partners listed below, is hosting GreenFest from 2-8 PM at the FM
455 Greenbelt Park. Lots of fun activities are planned including a
kayaking, 3 climbing walls, a live reptile display, Birds of Prey from the
Blackland Prairie Raptor Rehabilitation Center, Backyard Bass fishing,
pony rides, a living history display featuring storytelling and craftsmen
of the Cross Timbers Region, archery, the Texas Game Warden Trailer
Display, an archeological dig, a dinosaur dig, bounce houses, rides on the
Wells Fargo Stagecoach and a display by Careflite including their
Equestrian Rescue Unit. Live Music will headline Bleu Edmondson along with
Dustin Perkins and Big Gus and Swampadelic.

The exciting thing is that all the proceeds for the day ($5 in advance
available from www.friendsofthegreenbelt.org or $7 that day) will be
dedicated to reopening the equestrian trail between Highways 428 and 455,
restoration of the Greenbelt restrooms, installations of a planned wetland
viewing deck and trail and support of the Greenbelt Alliance. The entry
fee will also get you a membership in the Greenbelt Alliance and its Lake
Ray Roberts Equestrian Trail Association. The Greenbelt Alliance has given
its full support this new committee which is dedicated to the restoration
of the equestrian trail and other future projects benefiting equestrians.

Here is your chance to become a Charter Member of the new LRRETA and sign
up for Careflite Insurance for your family at a special member rate. All
equestrians who love to ride at Lake Ray Roberts can now join a support
organization specifically dedicated to maintaining and improving those
wonderful trails.

You can see that it will take a few volunteers to help make things go
smoothly. To make it possible for you to volunteer and then also visit all
the activities, the organizers have set up two shifts; one from 1 PM-5 PM
and one from 5 PM – 9 PM. You can help raise money by volunteering and you
will receive a T-Shirt as a bonus. Look over the volunteer jobs listed
below and pick one out at call Tim Beaty at tbeaty@tbbuilders.com or
940-387-3275. When you call, please also tell Tim what organization you
represent or how you got this message so we can show the Greenbelt
Alliance that the horse community wants to be involved in helping.

Volunteers will be needed to assist at the kayaking site, the Backyard
Bass fishing activity, the living history area, the climbing walls, the
archery site, the Texas Game Warden, the archeological dig, the Birds of
Prey, the bounce houses, the reptile exhibit, the dinosaur dig, at the
information booth, at the bandstand, with the food and retail vendors and
for parking and cleanup. Pick one, make that call and bring your family
and enjoy a great day.

TTPA is doing a new fundraiser this year, we are hosting a ACTHA ride at Brockdale Trailhead. ACTHA stands for the American Competitive Trail Horse Association and it is an organization that promotes trail riding. Organizations can host rides to get a percentage of the profits.

There will actually be two back to back ACTHA rides at Brockdale the weekend of 26-27 May. The ride on Saturday is a fundraiser for Grace Lake Therapeutic Riding and the Sunday ride benefits TTPA.

The ride will be three miles in length and have six obstacles. You can sign up for the ride at the ACTHA website at http://www.actha.us/home.

If you’ve never done an obstacle course with your horse before, you need to come out to Princeton this Saturday and join us at the Obstacle Course Fundraiser to benefit Grace Lake Therapeutic Horsemanship. This event promises to be fun for both you and your horse. This is not a competition, but a learning and training experience to enjoy with no pressure.

Special Feature: In addition to an exciting obstacle course, Mustang Trainer Jerry Jones will be providing an obstacle training demonstration using newly trained mustangs

Negative Coggins Required
Lunch Included

RSVP to Suzanne Creel at 972-548-2016 or 205-807-2681

All donations are tax deductible and benefit Grace Lake Ministries a 501c3 that provides a Christ-centered NARHA therapeutic horsemanship program in the Anna/Blue Ridge area.

Directions to Cowboy Church of Collin County From 75:

Exit on Bethany Drive in Allen and go east.
Take Bethany Drive through Allen into Lucas (about 5 miles).
Continue straight through on Bethany Road, the road changes its name to East Lucas Road and intersects with FM 1378.
Go through the traffic light straight on Lucas Road.
In about ½ mile, when the road makes a sharp curve, you will see the Lucas Food Mart and Fina station on your left and a traffic light.
Turn left here at stop light on FM 3286 (aka Lucas Road) .
Go across two bridges and continue on Lucas Road until the road tees into F928. Turn left (north) and to until FM 3364 (there is a gas station on right corner). Turn right onto FM 3364 and go about 1/2 mile and you’ll see Cowboy Church of Collin County. This is the location of the obstacle course.

Note: This is not an official TTPA event, but it is a horse event with many TTPA members attending.

Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) officials are continuing to trace exposed horses that attended the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Western National Championships event that ended on May 8 in Ogden, Utah. There are currently 26 known horses in Texas that attended the event. Those 26 horses and a total of 323 more cohorts (stablemates) of the 26 are currently being held under movement restrictions across the state.

Texas has currently only detected one confirmed case. That horse sought treatment at a veterinary clinic in far West Texas and has subsequently returned to New Mexico where it originated. A second horse located in Jack County has been classified as “suspect” and is pending further diagnostic testing. The TAHC is following the U.S.D.A. guidelines for clinical and suspect cases which have very specific criteria to meet the case definition, and for now suspect and confirmed cases will be the two types of cases reported.

The epidemiological investigation of all 300+ plus horses that reportedly attended the event continues nationwide, and the number of Texas horses identified as exposed may increase in the following days. Although mandatory cancellation of future events is not anticipated, the TAHC suggests that horse owners consider the risk of participating in upcoming events scheduled for this weekend and/or co-mingling their horses with other horses and equipment (trailers) of unknown history. Because the incubation period is usually about 4-6 days or less, even a one week voluntary stop movement may be enough to nip the cycle of transmission between horses before it grows in scope.

Horse owners should contact event organizers in advance to ensure that scheduled events have not been canceled. Some other states have established emergency rules for entry as a result of this situation, so if interstate travel is planned, owners and/or veterinarians writing health certificates should check in advance to ensure they meet all entry requirements. Finally, it is recommended that all newly purchased horses or introduced horses to a premise should be isolated to help prevent the accidental introduction of EHV-1 (and other diseases) onto the premise.

Updated: Trench issue has been resolved. Jack Gilstrap has added additional dirt to the trench so the trench is in much better shape now. Thank you Jack for your quick action.

Please use caution after you step through the white gate at the Highland Park Trail Head. There is a new water line that runs from the water trough to the new water spigot. There is dirt covering the trench for the water line, but after rain the trench becomes very soft and horses can sink down several inches if they step where the trench is located.

To see the trench, cross the white gate like you were going on the trail, and then look down. You will see deep horse tracks in the ground where horses have stepped in the trench.

Join your fellow trail riders and TTPA friends for a trail ride and cookout on 23 April 2011. Shelley Van Duran will be treating the group to homemade hamburgers cooked over the fire pit, baked beans, chips, watermelon, and yummy cupcakes. Come out and enjoy the day.

Arrive at Brockdale Trailhead in Lucas, TX at 9:30.Ride out at 10 AM.Lunch will be served at 1 PM. Come eat like the cowboys and join us for a relaxing time.

Please RSVP to Lana Gilstrap at lanagilstrap@sbcglobal.net so we know how much food to make.

There will be a $5 donation to cover drinks and paper goods. Lunch will be served at 1 PM after the ride. Join us for some great conversation with other riders. You can adjust your ride to your own schedule.

The ride will be automatically cancelled if it is raining or if there has been so much rain as to make the trail extremely wet, muddy and dangerous. To check on trail conditions call Trail Steward Charlie Gaines at 972-824-3369.

Don’t forget your current negative Coggins Certificate for each horse, as state law requires us to check. You can’t enter the park without one. For safety reasons, dogs will not be permitted on the trail. They must remain tied at your trailer in camp.

Directions to Brockdale Park TrailheadLucas is northeast of Dallas, TX. From Dallas, go north on US 75 to the Bethany Drive exit in Allen and go east. Take Bethany Drive through Allen into Lucas (about 5 miles). Counting the light at the expressway exit, you will go through nine lights. The ninth light is at Bethany and FM 1378. Go straight. In about ½ mile, when the road makes a sharp curve, you will see a stoplight and the Lucas Food Mart and gas station will be on your left. Turn left here on FM 3286 (also called East Lucas Road) and go less than a mile to Brockdale Park Road. There is a brown Brockdale Park sign on the right just before the turn. It turns off to the right. If you get to the bridge over Lake Lavon you have gone too far. Follow Brockdale Park Road around to the trailhead. You will drive through three 90-degree turns. The trailhead is at the 3rd 90-degree turn on the right and is bordered by white pipe fence. If you get to the boat ramp you have gone too far.

Once again our wonderful volunteer members have risen to the occasion. This past Saturday was a clean up work day at Brockdale and we were blessed with a number of wonderful volunteers. It is true that many hands make light work – especially when it comes to clearing dead trees off the trail. Thanks to everyone who helped. You made it better for all of us.

Here’s a note from Jack Gilstrap who was one of the volunteers.

We had a very productive workday thanks to Wade and Jamie Hanchar, Kaetlyn and Kris McFarland, Lucy Estabrook, Maureen Miller, Katie and Lizzy Rosdorff and Jack Gilstrap. We policed the trailhead and entry area for trash and debri. Wade, Jamie, Kaetlyn, Kris and I took the Gator on the trail to install new signs and take down several dead trees too close to the trail. This group earned the title “WRECKING CREW!” We cleared alot in a timely manner.

Join your fellow trail riders and TTPA friends for a trail ride and cookout on 23 April 2011.

Arrive at Brockdale Trailhead in Lucas, TX at 9:30.Ride out at 10 AM.Lunch will be served at 1 PM. Kurt and Sheeley Van Doran have offered to once again treat the club to a dutch oven lunch. Come eat like the cowboys and join us for a relaxing time.

Please RSVP to Lana Gilstrap at lanagilstrap@sbcglobal.net so we know how much food to make.

There will be a $5 donation to cover drinks and paper goods. Lunch will be served at 1 PM after the ride. Join us for some great conversation with other riders. You can adjust your ride to your own schedule.

The ride will be automatically cancelled if it is raining or if there has been so much rain as to make the trail extremely wet, muddy and dangerous. To check on trail conditions call Trail Steward Charlie Gaines at 972-824-3369.

Don’t forget your current negative Coggins Certificate for each horse, as state law requires us to check. You can’t enter the park without one. For safety reasons, dogs will not be permitted on the trail. They must remain tied at your trailer in camp.

Directions to Brockdale Park TrailheadLucas is northeast of Dallas, TX. From Dallas, go north on US 75 to the Bethany Drive exit in Allen and go east. Take Bethany Drive through Allen into Lucas (about 5 miles). Counting the light at the expressway exit, you will go through nine lights. The ninth light is at Bethany and FM 1378. Go straight. In about ½ mile, when the road makes a sharp curve, you will see a stoplight and the Lucas Food Mart and gas station will be on your left. Turn left here on FM 3286 (also called East Lucas Road) and go less than a mile to Brockdale Park Road. There is a brown Brockdale Park sign on the right just before the turn. It turns off to the right. If you get to the bridge over Lake Lavon you have gone too far. Follow Brockdale Park Road around to the trailhead. You will drive through three 90-degree turns. The trailhead is at the 3rd 90-degree turn on the right and is bordered by white pipe fence. If you get to the boat ramp you have gone too far.

Lunch: Dutch oven lunch scheduled for 1 PM. Once again Kurt and Shelley Van Doran have volunteered to treat TTPA riders to a delicious meal cooked authentically in a Dutch oven. This month the menu is homemade tacos, beans and a dessert.

Please RSVP to Lana Gilstrap at lanagilstrap@sbcglobal.net so we can get a head count and know how much food to make.

There will be a $5 donation to cover drinks and paper goods. Lunch will be served at 1 PM after the ride. Join us for some great conversation with other riders. You can adjust your ride to your own schedule.

The ride will be automatically cancelled if it is raining or if there has been so much rain as to make the trail extremely wet, muddy and dangerous. To check on trail conditions call Trail Steward Charlie Gaines at 972-824-3369.

Don’t forget your current negative Coggins Certificate for each horse, as state law requires us to check. You can’t enter the park without one. For safety reasons, dogs will not be permitted on the trail. They must remain tied at your trailer in camp.

Directions to Brockdale Park Trailhead
Lucas is northeast of Dallas, TX. From Dallas, go north on US 75 to the Bethany Drive exit in Allen and go east. Take Bethany Drive through Allen into Lucas (about 5 miles). Counting the light at the expressway exit, you will go through nine lights. The ninth light is at Bethany and FM 1378. Go straight. In about ½ mile, when the road makes a sharp curve, you will see a stoplight and the Lucas Food Mart and gas station will be on your left. Turn left here on FM 3286 (also called East Lucas Road) and go less than a mile to Brockdale Park Road. There is a brown Brockdale Park sign on the right just before the turn. It turns off to the right. If you get to the bridge over Lake Lavon you have gone too far. Follow Brockdale Park Road around to the trailhead. You will drive through three 90-degree turns. The trailhead is at the 3rd 90-degree turn on the right and is bordered by white pipe fence. If you get to the boat ramp you have gone too far.

About Trinity Trail Preservation Association (TTPA)

The Trinity Trail Preservation Association is an all-volunteer equestrian organization whose main purpose is to maintain the 25.5-mile long trail on the Corps of Engineers land along Lake Lavon and to network with other trail riders. Besides maintaining the trail, the group sponsors trail rides and cookouts and has quarterly meetings with speakers on horse-related issues. The group is truly regional and has nearly 200 member families from the nearby communities. The trail runs from Highland Park in the north through Brockdale Park in Lucas through Collin Park in St. Paul to East Fork Park in Wylie.

For more information about TTPA, call Membership Chairman Ruth Blom at 214-418-4106 or see the Trinity Trail Preservation Association’s website (http://www.trinitytrailriders.org) , the TTPA blog (http://www.trinitytrailsblog.org/ or the TTPA Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Trinity-Trail-Preservation-Association-TTPA-Texas-Trail-Riding/111429362218053).